Always
by CateDouglas0986
Summary: After revealing Phillip's dark secret to Natalie, Will finds himself reeling as Natalie rejects him. Can they find their way back to each other or will they choose to move on and go their separate ways? Phillip further complicates matters as he confesses his true feelings for Natalie to a less than eager Will.
1. Always

Author's Note: So this is going to be a slightly different type of story than what I normally write. It's twisted...and not all done up with a perfect Manstead bow. I'm officially mourning Manstead and going through withdrawals. They WILL get back together. Anyways...so this chapter is the longest chapter I've ever posted. I almost split it into two, but when it came down to it, I couldn't. (I wish they would have named the character something different than Crockett...that name is just awful! There's no abbreviating it unless you're downing bottles of wine when you watch Chicago Med and christian him with a friend as Davey. Davey Crockett. With that being said, I hope you enjoy this intense, chaotic, literal breath taking chapter of my latest Manstead fic

* * *

_Why would you tear my world apart?_

_Always, always, always, always..._

_I see the blood all over your hands_  
_Does it make you feel more like a man?_  
_Was it all just a part of your plan?_  
_The pistol's shakin' in my hands_  
_and all I hear is the sound..._  
_~Saliva~ Always_

* * *

" I'm going to guess that your conversation with Natalie didn't go as planned," Crockett Marcel declared as Will re-entered the lounge, looking extremely defeated. The red headed doctor said nothing, instead walking to Marcel's locker and grabbing the bottle of whiskey the doctor had hidden.

" The bastard denied lying to her about the ring and the engagement. Thankfully she had enough sense to trust her gut and leave him any way."

" I'm going to guess you expected her to run back to you then?" asked Crockett, watching as Will filled his abandoned cup.

" I don't know what I expected honestly. Our history...so much has happened. We've been through so much."

" I get it man," he declared, watching Will toss back his cup, finishing its contents in one long swig. Will felt the burning in his throat descend into his stomach. He let it settle, his brain feeling somewhat foggy as he poured a second refill.

" Whoah. Slow down there man. Leave me some."

" I'll replace it," promised Will, tossing back his third cup.

" How are you not puking?" questioned an impressed Crockett.

" I'm Irish. This is nothing," he challenged, going for a fourth cup.

" It might be nothing right now, but if my memory serves me right, you're due back here at 7:00 a.m." said Crockett, walking to his locker to pull out a change of clothes.

" Your point being?"

" Hey now. How drunk you decide to get is none of my business," he said, heading into the next room. When he emerged with his dirty scrubs, he found Will holding the empty bottle.

* * *

" Did you finish that?"

" Guess I did. I think we're gonna need a refill," slurred Will, hopelessly failing as he tossed his cup in the general direction of the trash can.  
" Give me that," suggested Crockett, taking the empty bottle and stashing it in his bag.

" I should get going," Will insisted as he tried to stand, instantly falling back into the couch.

" Easy there. Irish or not, you my friend managed to get wasted in less than 30 minutes. That beats my own personal best. You stay here. I'll be right back." Will smiled wryly, sinking back into the couch cushions.  
" Yessir Davey."

* * *

" Let's go," Marcel ordered, returning to the lounge less than five minutes later.

" Where are we going?"

" I'm driving your drunk ass home," he declared, grabbing Will's keys from his locker.

" What's in there?" Will asked curiously," glancing at a bag in Crockett's left hand.

" The Crockett Marcel hangover cure."  
" I have no clue what that is, but it sounds amazing."

" You'll thank me in the morning. Now let's go. Up and at em Halstead!" He grasped onto Will's hands, pulling him into a standing position. Once Will was upright, his body was hit with an awful spinning sensation, leaving him no option but to fall into Crockett.

" Whoah man," said Crockett, wrapping his free arm around Will's shoulders to steady him as they walked out into the ED.

" What's the bucket for?"

" I just got my car detailed and I'll be damned if you vomit all over it."

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Crockett pulled his Mercedes into a spot directly behind

Jay's work truck. Beside him sat a green-ish looking Will who was hugging the bucket he had brought along for dear life.

" Which apartment?"

" 317," Will groaned, feeling extremely nauseous as he climbed out of the car. Before Crockett could reach him, Will had stumbled over to a row of bushes and vomited all over them.

" That's what the bucket is supposed to be for," quipped Marcel, steadying Will as they entered the building.

" Ugh," he responded, puking into the bucket as the elevator started moving. Somehow Crockett managed to get Will down the hallway, but felt him suddenly slump against the wall outside of Jay's apartment.

" Imma sleep here tonight…" he slurred.

" Nope. Time to get up," replied Crockett, attempting to pull Will back to a standing position. Eventually the struggle between the two men caused the apartment door to open.

" What the hell is going on out here?"

" Nothing we can't handle man."

" Bullshit. I've seen you at Med. It's Marcel, right?"

" Crockett Marcel. Trauma surgeon. Who the hell are you?"

" Jay Halstead. Detective Jay Halstead. What the fuck did you do to my brother Marcel?"

" He did it to himself Detective. Drank almost all of my bourbon by himself. I can explain it all once we get him inside."

" You better," threatened Jay, easily pulling Will onto his feet.

" Jay. How'd you'd get here?"

" I live here. So do you. Christ Marcel. I can smell it on his breath. This better be good," Jay declared, helping Will towards the spare bedroom he had been staying in. Will instantly flopped onto the bed, his head bouncing off the pillows." I shouldn't have done that," he muttered, leaning over to vomit once again.

" Hang in there man. I'll have you feeling like a million bucks here in just a few minutes," announced Crockett, placing his bag on the ground. Jay stood back and watched as he pulled out an IV kit, an IV bag, a syringe, and a vial of some medication. In record time Crockett snapped on a pair of gloves and opened the IV kit, pulling out a turniquet. Will, who was barely conscious at this point didn't even flinch as the IV needle penetrated his skin. Without missing a beat, Crockett connected a "banana bag" of electrolytes to the tubing and pinned the bag to a corkboard behind the bed.  
" What's that for?" Jay asked curiously, watching Marcel draw up liquid into a syringe.  
" A hefty dose of anti-nausea medicine so he'll stop throwing up what's left of his stomach contents."

" You're amazing," Will mumbled, his eyes half closed.  
" If I had a dollar for every time someone told me that," he joked, placing the capped syringe back in his bag.  
Get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning." Crockett threw his bag back over his shoulder and followed Jay out into the hallway.  
" So why is my baby brother so drunk?"  
" You don't waste any time man."

" I try not to," replied Jay, leading Marcel out into the living room.

" Will confronted Phillip Davis and Natalie earlier tonight."

" About what?"  
" Phillip has been lying to her. About their supposed engagement and relationship."

" How in the world do you know this? Last I heard, you were the type of guy that knew more about when closing time was at the local pub down the street." Crockett ignored Jay's diss, instead sinking into the sofa behind him.

" I was one of Natalie's doctors the night of the accident. When my back was turned, Phillip slipped the engagement ring onto an unconscious Natalie's hand." Jay sat wide eyed, staring at Crockett in disbelief.  
Phillip took advantage of Natalie's compromised mental status, convincing her that she had been in Will's car to announce their engagement."

" I knew that man was a piece of shit," declared an angry Jay.

" Anyways, Will and I had a tough case today. After we were off duty, I busted out my stash of bourbon and we started talking. The minute Will realized that Phillip was playing mindgames with Natalie he bolted out of the lounge."

" He and Natalie have a complicated history...but despite it all, he's still madly in love with her," Jay confessed as Crockett stood.

" I've got to get going. I'm supposed to be meeting a pretty young lady at a bar near my apartment," he confessed, walking to the door.

* * *

" How in the world are you here early? You were hardcore passed out when I left last night," Crockett stated as Will entered the ED lounge the next morning.

" Jay threatened to taze me if I didn't get out of bed."

" That's ruthless. I like it."

" You would. Thanks for the extra fluids."

" The Crockett Cocktail? Don't mention it. By the way you owe me $30."

" That's some expensive bourbon," Will remarked, handing Crockett the money as they re-entered the ED.

" Only the best man."

" Have you seen Natalie yet?" Will asked.

" You're a glutton for punishment Halstead."

" Heads up boys," Maggie said, approaching the pair.

We've got patients getting ready to roll in from an MVC."

" No rest for the wicked," declared Marcel.

* * *

Shortly after Crockett had taken their patient to the OR, Will managed to catch a glimpse of Natalie. Before he got the chance to follow her to the lounge, Maggie appeared by his side, seemingly out of thin air.

" Halstead. You're going to Exam 3. Six year old male who got busted up trying to ride his older sister's hoverboard."

" I hate those things," Will declared, grabbing the tablet from Maggie.

Despite his best efforts, Will found himself slammed for the rest of his shift, not having a spare moment to talk with Natalie. It wasn't until Will was heading back to the lounge to change that he saw Marcel for the first time since he had gone upstairs.

" Halstead. Wait up!"

" How's the patient?" Will asked, pulling off his scrub top in favor of a clean t-shirt.

" She'll make a full recovery, but that's not what I wanted. Do you have plans tonight?"

" I think I've had more than enough alcohol in the past 24 hours."

" No man. I'm the one getting drunk and hopefully laid tonight and you're cheaper than Uber."

" What's in it for me?" Will challenged.

" You get to drive the Mercedes and I'll give you back your bourbon money."

" Fine," he agreed reluctantly.

" Think of it as a favor to yourself. If you go home alone you're libel to go track down Natalie and make a fool of yourself." Will stayed silent, instead grabbing Crockett's keys from his outstretched hand.

" I've got a few things to do before I'm ready. I'll meet you out front in ten."

* * *

" So what's her name?" Will asked as Crockett climbed into the car, now wearing a simple white dress shirt unbuttoned at the neck and a pair of jeans.

" Crystal."

" Christ. Is she a stripper or something?" joked Will.

" She's a lawyer," Crockett replied snidely, punching the address of the bar into his GPS.

Enough with the questions." The two rode in silence until Will pulled up near the bar a few minutes later and put the Mercedes into park.

" Which one is she?" Will asked, glancing through a small window from the sidewalk. Crockett pointed to a tall brunette sitting at the bar.

" Damn. At least you've got good taste. You go on in. I've got a quick call to make. When I'm done I'll go sit at that table in the far corner."

" Sounds perfect," replied Crockett, walking inside. Will unlocked his phone, resisting the urge to call Natalie. Instead he dialed Jay's number in attempts to return his phone call from earlier. The call went straight to voicemail. Will sighed, pocketing his phone. Before he could turn to go inside the bar, an arm came out of nowhere, putting him into a chokehold. Will instinctively swung at the person behind him." Stop fighting me damn it!" The voice. Even as he fought to stay conscious, Will knew he recognized THAT voice.

* * *

" Phillip?" he questioned, gasping for air as he was dragged into the alley beside the bar. Will's suspicions were confirmed as he was flipped around and violently shoved up against the bricks. His head cracked hard against the cement surface, instantly splitting the side of his head open.

" You just couldn't leave us alone, could you? Natalie was happy with me!" Phillip declared, pressing a gun to Will's forehead so he couldn't move.

" You delusional prick. She was going to leave you before I even spilled your dirty little secret."

" She would have stayed!" he insisted, pressing the gun into Will's flesh harder.

" You're fucking crazy man. What are you going to do? Kill me? Do you really think that would put you back in her good graces?" Phillip removed the gun and sunk his fist into Will's gut, knocking the wind out of him. Even though his brain struggled to make a coherent thought due to the lack of air, Will knew he wasn't about ready to let Phillip beat his ass in a dark alley. He took a deep breath and swung back, connecting with Phillip's jaw. He retaliated, grabbing Will by the shoulders and shoving him to the ground. Will winced in pain as Phillip's steel toed boots connected several times with his rib cage and then his stomach. Despite his injuries, Will attempted to stand, dead set on beating Phillip Davis to a bloody pulp. Phillip on the other hand obviously had different ideas. After getting a few more kicks in, he delivered a final punch of his own to Will's face, leaving the young doctor teetering on the edge of consciousness.  
" Leave my fiance and I alone or the next time I see you, you'll be dead."


	2. Panic Switch

_Author's note: I tried uploading this from my phone last night and the formatting was horrible! So I was able to get to my computer at various times today and get things typed out. I've started experimenting with typing chapter in my Notes app on my iPhone then typing them out instead of just typing on the laptop or handwriting the chapter. It's been an enjoyable experiment and is nice to be able to write anywhere I want! Anyways, enough about that! I sincerely appreciate all of the love shown with the reviews you left for the first chapter! Unfortunately I think I'm going to be leaving you with more questions than answers by the time you finish this chapter. However, chapter 3 will be a pivotal chapter in more ways than one! You will have lots of answers, maybe not quite all of them, but the most important ones. Kaci...thank you for not blowing up my phone after I left you with that little tidbit last night! You'll get your answer at the end of this chapter- long live Davey Crockett! (Y'all kind of have to be there- it involves bottles of wine and drunk texting on Chicago Med nights!)_

* * *

_I'm waiting and fading and floating away_  
_Waiting and fading and floating away_  
_Waiting and fading and floating away_  
_Waiting and fading and flailing and fading_

_When you see yourself in a crowded room,_  
_Do your fingers itch? Are you pistol-whipped?_  
_Will you step in line or release the glitch?_  
_Can you fall asleep with a panic switch?  
~Silversun Pickups~ Panic Switch_

* * *

Meanwhile inside, Crockett was starting to regret his choice of accepting Crystal's message on Tinder. She was drop dead gorgeous, but wouldn't stop talking about the failure of the medical world providing adequate health insurance and malpractice lawsuits. When he had initially ordered a scotch, she scoffed, instead insisting that he have a beer. Something about the evils of liquor. He took a sip of his mostly full beer and grabbed for his cellphone after placing the bottle back onto the bar. Crockett selected Will's name and started typing out a text message.

**Crockett (sent at 7:36p): SOS. Get me out of this.**

He hit send, waiting a few seconds before turning to look for where Will said he would be sitting. The table was empty. Marcel quickly scanned the small crowd, searching for Will's red hair, but couldn't find him.

" Did you hear what I just said?" asked an irritated Crystal.

" Huh? Sorry," Crockett replied absentmindedly.  
Give me just a minute. I need to call work." Crystal scoffed.

**Crockett (sent at 7:41p): You better not be taking my car for a joyride.**

Still no response. He quickly dialed Will's number, not caring in the slightest as he watched Crystal exit the bar. Will's phone rang and rang, eventually going to voicemail.

" You've reached the voicemail of Dr. Will Halstead. Leave a message." He hung up in frustration before walking to the window that he and Will had looked through earlier, discovering his Mercedes right were they had left it. What the hell was going on? Crockett handed the bartender a $20 and made his way back outside. A quick scan of the surrounding areas yielded no sight of Will. He dialed his cellphone number again, fully expecting to reach Will's voicemail for a second time. What Crockett wasn't prepared to hear was the sound of a phone ringing nearby.

" Halstead!" he shouted, listening for a response. Nothing. Crockett held his cellphone, dialing Will's number for a third time. This time he followed the source of the sound and was lead to a dark alley beside the bar. Just a few feet away he could make out the edge line of a body.

* * *

" Shit!" he exclaimed, hurrying over to find a bloodied and unconscious Will. Thankfully Crockett was easily able to find a pulse.

" Halstead!" Beside him, Will groaned, his body moving ever so slightly as Crockett shook his shoulder.

" That's it. Come on man. I need you to wake up for me," Crockett ordered.

" That...was a quick...date," responded Will, his face visibly contorting in pain as he spoke.

" It was a disaster, but we can talk about that later. Where are my keys?"

" Front...pocket. Am I...still driving?"

" Funny. It's going to be faster for me to take you to Gaffney than wait on an ambo. Do you think you can stand?" Will shook his head no.  
" You're going to have to try," insisted Crockett, helping to pull his friend into a sitting position.

" Fucking hurts!" Will gasped through gritted teeth.

" You've probably got some broken ribs at the very least. What the hell happened? Who did this to you?"

" Phillip Davis," answered Will, screaming loudly in pain as Crockett pulled him to his feet.

" I know it hurts. We've just got to make it to the car. Once we get to Med I'll load you up on Morphine."

" Is that a promise?" Will asked exasperatingly.  
" I got your back Halstead," Crockett insisted as he half dragged Will back to his Mercedes. He grabbed Will's phone from his back pocket before opening the passanger door.

" If you wanted to grab my ass...you could have just asked," joked Will, flopping into the passenger seat. Crockett hastily placed a towel under Will's head in attempts to staunch the blood coming from Will's head. By the time he climbed into the driver's seat, he had paired Will's phone to his Bluetooth stereo. As he peeled rubber, driving away from the curb, Jay's voice filled the car.

* * *

" Halstead. I need your help."

" Marcel? What are you doing with Will's phone?"

" We're on our way to Gaffney right now."

" What's going on? Is Will okay?"

" Phillip Davis attacked him in the alley outside Orion's Pub."

" Did you call 911?"

" I wasn't waiting on an ambulance. Phillip did a number on him."

" I'll have dispatch send a team over. How bad is he?" Jay asked as Crockett blew through a red light.

" I won't know for sure until I can get him properly examined, but it's safe to say he's in considerable pain."

" Jay?" Will's voice was barely audible.

" Hang in there bro. I'm getting ready to jump in my truck and meet you two at Med."

" Natalie."

" What about her?"

" Find her. I...he had a gun. Make sure she's...safe," he mumbled.

" Jay, I gotta go." Crockett abruptedly ended the phone call.

Damn it Will! Stay will me!" he demanded, watching as Will's head lulled to the side.

* * *

" Hmm?"

" You can't fall asleep on me. Will!" screamed Crockett, feeling panicked as Will's eyes closed. With one hand on the steering wheel, he reached across and lightly smacked Will's face in hopes of keeping him awake. His efforts proved to be futile as a deadly silence fell over the car.  
" Halstead!" Crockett shouted, his heart pounding as Will's head smacked against the passenger side's window. He made a quick left turn into the parking lot outside Med. Without hesitation, he pulled the car into the ambulance bay and threw it into park.

" I NEED SOME HELP OUT HERE!" Crockett yelled, signaling to the nearby security guards. He was thankful to see April and Ethan rushing through the lobby towards him, both wearing puzzled looks on their faces.

" Dr. Marcel. What's going on?" inquired Ethan as Crockett ran to the passenger side door and opened it. An audible gasp could be heard as Will's limp body slid out of the car, his fall being broken by Crockett's outstretched arms.  
"Phillip Davis jumped him in an alley," he explained. Ethan instinctively grabbed Will's Legs and helped lift him onto a waiting gurney that had been brought out. Crockett rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt as he followed the gurney into the ED.

" We're going to Baghdad," April announced.

* * *

" Set up IV access and give him ten of Moprhine," ordered Crockett as they pushed the gurney into the large trauma room.  
Will. Come on Will. I need you to wake up for me. April's getting you that Morphine I promised, but I need you awake man!" The room was filled with silence as he grabbed a pair of scissors and cut off Will's shirt. A sea of purple bruises covered Will's stomach and chest.  
" Damn. Someone get me an ultrasound!" Crockett ordered.

" He's got diminished breath sounds on the right," chimed in Ethan.

" Let's set up for a portable x-ray." The images were taken, almost immediately appearing on a computer screen.  
" Pneumothorax on the right. Set me up for a chest tube." Crockett looked down at Will, applying pressure to his sternum in hopes of getting a response from him.

" Morphine's...amazing," mumbled Will.

" I told you I'd hook you up. Your right lung is collpased. I'm going to have to put in a chest tube in," he explained, taking a scalpel from April. Crockett made an incision in Will's side, barely causing a response as he shoved in the chest tube and stitched it in place.  
" Come on Will. I need you to stay with me."

" This scalp wound looks pretty deep," April observed, handing Crockett the transducer for the ultrasound.  
" Looks like he's got some level of internal bleeding. April, put in orders for a STAT head and abdominal CT and have Abrams meet us upstairs." The nurse nodded while Ethan opened the doors so they could get Will to the elevator.

* * *

"Marcel!" Jay's worried voice filled the chaotic ED. Crockett turned to find Jay and Natalie running towards him.  
" What's going on? Is he okay? Where are you taking him?" demanded Natalie.

" You guys are going to have to ride up with us. He's stable for now, but we need to get these scans ASAP," advised Ethan. Everyone piled on to the elevator then turned to Crockett.  
" I ordered a STAT head and abdominal CT. There's some internal bleeding in the stomach and he's having trouble staying conscious," he explained.  
" Do you suspect a head injury?"

" Abrams is meeting us so he can analyze the CT. Will does have a pretty deep scalp laceration so it does raise concern for a head injury. Any new on your end Detective?"

" What is he talking about?" questioned Natalie as the elevator doors opened.  
" They have a crew at the scene of the crime, but there are no signs of the attacker."

" Do you know who did this to him?" she asked, turning to Jay.  
" I'm going to leave you two to discuss that. You'll have to wait out here until the scans are finished," replied Crockett. Once the gurney had been pushed into the CT room, Natalie stared angrily at Jay.  
" What is going on? What are you not telling me? First you show up at my house and inisist that I need to come with you and now you and Marcel act like you're talking in code."

* * *

" Will identified his attacker over the phone to me while Dr. Marcel transported him here to the ED," Jay said, his voice trailing off.  
" And?"

" Natalie, Phillip did this. He held Will at gunpoint, attacked him, then disappeared. That's why I have you with me and unmarked units sitting outside Helen's flat in case he tries to go after Owen." A visibly shaken Natalie collapsed into a chair, tears brimming in her eyes.

" I can't believe this is happening. How could I have...Phillip always seemed like such a great guy," she said, her voice shaking.

" Nat, it's going to be okay."

" How? Police officers are watching my son's whereabouts to make sure he's not kidnapped or worse. Will is unconscious with a head injury and bleeding into his abdomen…"

" We both know Will is stubborn and strong- he's going to be okay. As far as Phillip goes, all of intelligence is out there looking for him."

" What if...what if Will isn't okay? The last thing I said to him is that I wanted him out of my life. I didn't mean permanently," sobbed Natalie.  
" I think when this is all said and done you'll be surprised. Will loves you and Owen so much it hurts. To be honest, I'm scared shitless right now. My brother, your friend, is hurt. Badly. I think we have to take things as they come. There's no reason to worry until we need to," advised Jay.  
" When did you become so...prolific with words?"

" I have no clue," he responded, his and Natalie's eyes fixated on the CT room. For now, all they could do was wait.


	3. The Way It Ends

_Author's Note: Thank you all so much for the wonderful reviews! I'm really enjoying my new "format" of typing chapters up in my Notes app on my iPhone. That means I can write ANYWHERE, ANYTIME without lugging around a notebook/pen etc. It also leads to longer chapters! Anyways...I hope you enjoy this chapter. It has less of a major cliffhanger. Enjoy and leave me some love! Chapter Four is already in progress!  
_

* * *

_This is the way it ends_  
_Don't tell me it's meaningless_  
_There'll be no compromise_  
_We fall in we too shall rise_  
_You held me and taught me how_  
_I think I am ready now_  
_If this is the way it ends_  
_This is the way it's meant to be_

_Under my skin they fade away_  
_Here's to life with no regrets_  
_See you again all one day_  
_Give me love or give me death_  
_Can anyone ever really say..._  
_~Landon Pigg~ The Way It Ends_

* * *

Sam Abrams was the first to exit the room.

" Jay. Natalie."

" How is he?" they both asked in unison?  
" The good news is Will's neurological reflexes are strong. There is no evidence of a brain bleed or a skull fracture. He does have a concussion, but as far as him being unconscious I fully believe that to be a combination of his body trying to heal itself and him being stubborn. I'll keep an eye on things, but from a neurological standpoint, things look stable."

" Thanks Sam," replied Natalie as the surgeon walked away.  
" What's taking Marcel so long? Jay asked out loud.

" I don't know," Natalie said worriedly.

* * *

" Looks like he has a grade II splenic laceration that's causing the internal bleeding into his abdomen," Crockett said, staring at the screen in front of him.

" What's the plan?" asked Ethan.  
" If the splenic injury was worse I'd most definitely take him into the OR to repair it or remove the spleen all together. As it stands, his vitals are low, but stable. I want to wait and see if things might improve on their own or not."

" Are we taking him back down to the ED?" asked April.

" Yes. If the bleeding becomes worse or his spleen ruptures I want to be as close to an OR as possible," Crockett explained before exiting out into the lobby.  
" How is he?" Jay and Natalie asked in unison once more.

" Will does have some broken ribs. However, the scans showed that he also has a grade II splenic laceration that's causing the internal bleeding we're seeing."

" English please," demanded Jay.

" Basically his spleen has a cut in it that's causing him to bleed into his stomach," Natalie explained.  
" I'm hoping that the injury will remain stable and begin to heal itself instead of worsening."

" What happens if it does get worse?" Jay asked curiously as April and Ethan brought the gurney back into the hall.  
" We're going to take him back down to the ED where he can be closely monitored. The hybrid OR team will be on standby in case things go south, giving me the chance to open him up as soon as possible," explained Crockett, stepping into the elevator after Ethan and April, followed by Jay and Natalie.

* * *

" Go ahead and take him back to Bagdhad. I'm going to go change," Crockett said, eyeing his bloodied shirt as they stepped off the elevator in the ED.

Make sure we have enough type specific blood on hand- enough for the OR should we need it and a few units hung on the rapid infuser to try and boost his BP and vitals." Crockett entered the empty lounge, immediately chucking his soiled shirt in a nearby trashcan. As he grabbed a fresh set of black scrubs and headed to the bathroom, he couldn't help but think how horribly wrong the night had gone.

Once he was done changing, he shoved his jeans in the bottom of his locker and pulled on his sneakers before grabbing his stethoscope. When he stepped back into the ED he found JAy waiting outside with whom Crockett assumed to be a fellow police officer.  
" This is Adam Ruzek. We work together in Intelligence," explained Jay.

" Dr. Marcel is it?"  
" Crockett Marcel."

" Do you have some time to answer a few questions? We're trying to piece together a timeline."

" Let me go check in on Will and then I'm all yours," he replied, walking past the two men into the trauma room.

" How's he doing?"

" His vitals perked up some with the added blood, but not by much. I also had to increase his oxygen due to his O2 sats dropping," explained Ethan.  
" Keep a close eye on his oxygenation rate. I'm going to be just outside speaking with the police. Crockett placed his hand on Natalie's shoulder.

" We've got this," he declared before walking back outside, pulling the door shut behind him.

" Gentlemen."

" If you don't mind, I'd like to go in and be with Will," Jay said to Adam.

" We'll be fine," Adam and Crockett reassured him.

* * *

" So Dr. Marcel. Take me through the past twenty-four hours if you don't mind. I understand that Natalie broke things off with Phillip Davis last night and Will revealed to her in front of Phillip that Phillip had been lying about the engagement."

" That's correct. I was the one treating Natalie Manning the night of the accident and quickly realized that Philip had snuck the ring onto her hand while I had stepped out of the room. Will was upset that Phillip was making a huge deal about his and Natalie's anniversary last night. That's when the subject of the engagement ring came up. Will instantly confronted them which I can only assume enraged Phillip even more. Will came back inside and proceeded to polish off a bottle of bourbon I had in my locker."

" You keep bourbon in your locker?"

" Tell me that you don't keep a flash in your desk," Crockett challenged.

" Fair enough. So Will consumed a fair amount of alcohol last night?"

" Yes. I drove him back to Jay's apartment and left after I had administered medication to help with the inevitable hangover."

" So bring me back to this morning."

" Long story short? Will came into work sober. I had made plans with a beautiful woman from Tinder for earlier this evening."

" What was her name?"

" Crystal."  
" Stripper?"

" You and Will both. She's a lawyer damn it. Anyways, I asked Will if he would be my DD to which he agreed to. He drove me in my Mercedes to Orion's Pub."

" About what time did you arrive?"

" Maybe 7:15p? I pointed out Crystal to him before I went inside."

" And Will?"

" He said he had a phone call to make, but that he'd be inside soon and showed me where he'd be sitting. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary."

" When did you realize that Will had not come into the bar as you two had initially planned?"

" I texted him, begging him to rescue me from the nightmare of a date I was on. I kept calling his phone, but it went to voicemail. Crystal left around 7:45p. That's when I noticed that my car was still parked outside where it had been when we arrived. I went outside and it wasn't long after that when I discovered a semi-conscious Will in the alley. When I asked him who had hurt him he was adament that it had been Phillip Davis." A frantic knock sounded on the glass causing Crockett to turn towards the trauma room.

" We need you in here!" Choi shouted.

* * *

" We'll have to continue this later," stated Crockett, rushing into the room. Immediately he saw the monitors flashing, signaling a drastic change in Will's vitals.

" He was opening his eyes and responding to our commands and then everything started going crazy," declared a worried Jay, watching as Choi handed Crockett the ultrasound transducer again.  
" The tear in his spleen has gotten worse, increasing the amount of internal bleeding. April, go page the hybrid team." Turning to Jay and Natalie, Crockett pointed to the hallway.  
" I need you two out. Now!"

" We're staying," Natalie insisted.

" No you're not. Now get out or I'll have security drag you out." Jay was taken aback with Marcel's reaction. Normally he would have argued with the surgeon, but he could sense things were much worse than what was being let on. He grabbed for Natalie's arm, the two reluctantly exiting into the hallway.  
" Close that curtain Choi then set me up for intubation. His vitals and O2 levels are dropping rapidly, circling the drain. I need to get him into that OR ASAP."

" I can bag him and then intubate while you're scrubbing," argued Choi.

" Come on then! Let's get moving!" he yelled.

* * *

Jay and Natalie sat motionless in the hallway outside the hybrid OR, having just watched Ethan and Marcel rush Will inside.

" What's going on? Is it serious?" Natalie took a shaky breath, trying to compose herself.

" The tear in Will's spleen has gotten worse instead of better, thus increasing the amount of internal bleeding."

" So what do they do to fix that?" asked a clueless Jay.

" The internal bleeding will need to be stopped so things don't get even worse. If the damage to the spleen is too severe, Dr. Marcel will remove it. Will also has several broken ribs that will be repaired if they're severely damaged," answered Natalie, feeling her phone buzz in her pocket. She pulled it out quickly, assuming it was a call from Helen. However, she nearly dropped the phone when she saw Phillip's number flash across the screen.

* * *

" Hello," Natalie said sternly, resisting the urge to unleash a tirade of profanities at Phillip.

" Nat. I was worried you wouldn't answer. Look. I can explain everything. I am so sorry."

" How in the hell are you going to justify and explain what you did to Will?" Jay's head perked up.

" Are you at the hospital?"

" Of course I am. I'm sitting outside the OR right now. Will's in surgery...fighting for his life," she added.

" Can we talk?"

" Isn't that what we're doing right now?"

" I mean face to face."

" Why in god's name would I want to do that? I want to wrap my hands around your damn throat."

" I still love you Nat."

" Phillip, we're done. I want nothing to do with you ever again."

" You will if you know what's best for you," he threatened.

" Excuse me?"

" Just meet me in the stairwell. Our usual spot. Please. Hear me out."

" Fine. I'll give you five minutes. Then I'm done."

" By the way, I know Jay is with you. If you ever want to see your son alive, you best come alone." Natalie hung up, visibly shaken.  
" Was that Phillip? Is he in the hospital?"

" He wants me to go meet him."

" I'm coming with you."

" No! He said he'd killed Owen if he sees you."

" The man has a gun Natalie. What's stopping him from killing you and then going after Owen?" Natalie paused in fear, knowing Jay was right.  
" I'm supposed to be meeting him in the stairwell around the corner," she reluctantly confessed.  
" Got it," stated Jay, heading for the elevator.

* * *

Natalie could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she approached the stairwell in the ED. How would she be able to face the man that had almost killed Will? With a deep breath, she pushed the door open to reveal a frantic, disheveled looking Phillip.  
" You came baby. I didn't think you would show."

" Never call me that again," she spat.  
" Natalie. Don't you see it? They're trying to turn you against me. They're filling your head with lies!"

" You're so full of shit Phillip. You were the one that has been lying to me. I never agreed to marry you. In fact, I was going to leave you that night! You used my head injury to your advantage and tried manipulating me after the accident."

" No I didn't," he said angrily.

" Dr. Marcel saw you put the ring on my damn finger when I was unconscious."

" Obviously he was mistaken. He just told Will what he wanted to hear."

" So all of that justifies you trying to kill Will?"

" I wasn't going to let him ruin our relationship with more lies!"

" So you had to hold him at gunpoint and beat him? Kind of like you're trying to hold me against my will right now? The police are looking for you Phillip. You're being sought on multiple charges including aggravated assault...assuming that Will lives."

" I didn't beat him badly enough to kill him," argue Phillip.  
" How the hell do you know? If he dies, they're going to charge you with murder."

" We'll all leave and start over. You, me, Owen, and Sophie. We can put all of this behind us."

" You really are fucking crazy aren't you? Why would I go anywhere with you? If Will dies tonight you better pray the police find you first or I'll kill you with my bare hands before they can throw you in jail." Phillip looked stunned, trying to process what Natalie had just said. Before he could reply, Jay launched himself over the first floor landing, tackling Phillip to the ground.

* * *

" Give me a reason not to beat your skull into the cement for what you did to my brother," he growled.

" It's not worth it Jay. Let his sorry ass rot in prison," Natalie said as Ruzek came down the flight of stairs.  
" Arrest this sack of shit before I kill him Adam." Ruzek smirked, shoving Phillip's head into the concrete as he put him in handcuffs.  
" Phillip Davis. You're under arrest for aggravated assault, kidnapping, fleeing the scene of a crime, and obtaining a weapon under illegal means." Jay stood with a wince, his body hurting from the impact it had just taken. Looking at Natalie he said,

" Let's get back to Will."


	4. Did You

_Author's note: Sorry I haven't updated as quickly as I wanted to. I'm getting back into the swing of work after taking an extended period off due to health issues. The upside? I have almost two additional chapters ready to go after this one so the wait won't be long! I appreciate all of the love in the reviews! I changed my pen name for clandestine reasons...that will probably never happen, but one can dream! (Plus the old one was almost 15 years old!) It's also been a challenge between a friend and I to see how many jabs/jokes/puns we can make out of the fact that Marcel's first name is Crockett. Still trying to wrap our heads around that poor name choice! Anyways, enough rambling. Read, enjoy, and show me some love by clicking that cute little review button!_

* * *

_Did you say everything you could?_  
_Do the things that you thought you would?_  
_Did it ever occur to you that this could be your final day?  
~Hoobastank~ Did You?_

* * *

" Let's get back to Will," suggested Jay.  
" Just one more thing," replied Natalie out of nowhere. She turned to face Ruzek and a smug looking Phillip. Without warning, she pulled back her arm, punching Phillip square in the jaw.  
" Damn that felt good," she replied, exiting the stairwell.  
" Where the hell did you learn how to toss a punch like that" questioned an awestruck Jay.  
" Wouldn't you like to know?" she challenged.  
" Remind me never to piss you off."  
Natalie and Jay found the waiting area slightly more crowded than when they had left it. Dr. Charles, Maggie, and Sharon Goodwin were all sitting, waiting on baited breath for any news.

* * *

" Are you okay Jay?" Maggie asked, watching as he limped over to an open chair.  
" Don't ask." She stood up and pushed her chair under Jay's leg to elevate it.  
" I'll go get you some ice."

" Thanks Mags," Jay replied, knowing better than to argue with the nurse.  
" Could you grab me some also?" Natalie asked coyly, holding her hand out for Maggie to see.  
" What in the hell were you two doing when you disappeared?"

" I jumped over the first floor landing of the stairs behind us and tackled a guy," Jay replied casually.  
Any news on Will yet?"  
" Dr. Marcel opened him shortly after you two left. From what I can gather, the injury to his spleen is much more severe than what he initially thought," volunteered Sharon.

" What happened to your hand?" asked Maggie, giving Natalie a small icepack before placing a larger one on Jay's knee.  
" Rocky here socked Phillip Davis in the face."

" I'm going to pretend I didn't just hear that," Sharon.  
" I would have aimed lower," muttered Maggie, sitting back down.

" What happens now?" Jay questioned.  
" Now we wait," answered a nervous Natalie.

* * *

" Marcel. His vitals are dropping. You need to find the source of the bleeding before he goes into cardiac arrest," warned the anesthesiologist.  
" I'm well aware of that," Crockett replied snidely. Beside him April was sunctioning the excessive amount of blood that was filling Will's abdomen in attempts to give the surgeon more visibility.  
" Crockett!" The anesthesiologist said sharply as alarms began to sound.  
" Give me just a few more seconds," he answered, feeling aggravated. He knew Will was within minutes, if not seconds of coding on the table. The damage to his spleen had created a poor visual field as Crockett fought to find the source of the excessive bleeding.

" Dr. Marcel! Now!"  
" I've got it!" Crockett sighed, glancing up at the monitors as Will's vitals began climbing. He briefly paused, taking a deep breath as relief washed over him. With the bleeder now tied off, Crockett was able to easily remove the heavily damaged spleen

" All right. Let's close this incision then prepare to reposition his body so I can repair his ribs."

* * *

Jay glanced anxiously at his watch. Will had been in the OR for almost five hours. What was taking so long? Beside him Natalie sat just as anxious, her mind wandering to all of the possible medical emergencies that Will could be facing. Thankfully just a few moments later, a tired, yet relieved looking Marcel exited the OR.  
" How is he?" the group asked.

" The injury to Will's spleen was much more severe than what showed on the ultrasound and CT. By the time I opened him up it had caused a significant amount of internal bleeding. Thankfully I was able to locate the source of the bleeding and remove the spleen before he went into cardiac arrest from the blood loss. Once that was taken care of, I was able to successfully plate all three of his broken ribs. He'll be in the ICU overnight due to the blood loss and barring any complications, will be moved to a regular room some time tomorrow. Will is going to be fine. Sore for awhile, but fine." A collective sigh could be heard coming from everyone.

" Can we see him?" asked Natalie.

" I'll take you two up with me, but he need rest. He'll be out for awhile due to the anesthesia anyways," replied Crockett. Jay stood, limping towards the elevators with Natalie close behind.  
" What happened to you guys?"

" Phillip Davis isn't a problem anymore," Jay said casually.  
" How so?"

" I tackled him from the first floor ledge in the stairwell near the OR before he was arrested."  
" Well that explains the limp. What happened to your hand?" he asked Natalie.  
" I may or may not have punched him in the face," she said innocently.  
" I never pegged you for the violent type," Crockett commented as the elevator doors opened.  
" He deserved it," Natalie replied, watching as Jay went into the ICU room first. He wasn't inside for more than a few minutes before exiting again.  
" I'm going to go home and try to get some sleep. Call me if anything changes," he said tiredly, heading back for the elevator. Natalie made her way into Will's room, feeling instant relief as she realized he wasn't on a ventilator. A shiny silver chain was hanging around his neck. Jay had been holding onto his younger brother's Saint Christopher medallion during the surgery. Before she could stop herself, Natalie fell into a chair and began crying uncontrollably. Crockett entered the room, feeling somewhat awkward as he made his way to Natalie's side.  
" I was such a bitch to him. The last thing I said to him was for him to stay out of my life."

" When we were on our way here... after I found him in the alley. I had Jay on the phone. Will's last words before he fell unconscious were that he was worried about you and for your safety."

" There's so much...our history is so complicated. A lot happened before you came to Gaffney."

" I've gotten the cliff notes version."

" I'm sure you have. I'm just worried that I messed everything up."

" You couldn't help that Phillip was taking advantage of you after the accident. You had a head injury. Your memory was compromised."

" It's so much more than that thought," she said, sighing.  
" You're tired. Go home to your son. I'll stay with Will. I'm on call tomorrow anyways," offered Crockett.  
" Are you sure?"  
" Positive. Go home, take some Motrin for that hand, and get some good sleep. I'm comfortable right here," he said, arranging himself in the recliner at Will's bedside.  
" Those chairs are horrid," Natalie commented, leaning in to kiss Will on the cheek as she stood.  
" I've slept on much worse. See you in the morning."

* * *

He heard voices. Jay had been there. Someone was crying now, their words hard to make out. That's when he heard Crockett's voice, reassuring whomever it was. The person left a kiss on his cheek, That he was certain of. Will knew he recognized the voice, the faint scent of perfume. The feeling of the person's lips on his face. His brain felt so sluggish. So tired. He would have to figure it out later.

* * *

Hours later, Will found himself finally emerging from the deep state of unconsciousness he had been in. He opened his eyes just enough to appreciate the dimmed lights of the ICU. The sound of monitors beeping were drowned out by loud snoring. Will turned his head to discover Crockett sprawled out in the bedside recliner, his feet propped up on the bottom of the bed. Will mustered up his strength to kick them off, Marcel's sneakers smacking against the floor. That move had awoken a deep pain in Will's chest and stomach. Beside him, Crockett jolted awake.

" You're awake. What the hell did you do that for?"

" How am I supposed to sleep when you're snoring so damn loud?"

" Hey now. I saved your ass last night."

" Feels like you gutted me," groaned Will, wincing from the pain. Crockett stood, feeling slightly more awake.

" Theoretically I did," he commented, looking at Will's vitals from overnight.

" Don't tell me. Let's see if I can guess."

" Severely lacerated spleem that's now gone, a chest tube, and three plated ribs."  
" You're no fun," argued Will, wincing yet again as he laughed.

" How's your pain?" Crockett asked, retrieving his stethoscope from the foot of the bed.  
" I feel like I got my ass kicked in an alley."

" A number smart ass," retorted Marcel as he listened to Will's heart and lungs.

" 8? 9?"  
" That's to be expected," Crockett reasoned, punching in his security code into a nearby drug dispense cart.  
" How was the date?"

" Horrid. She walked out on me as I was trying to figure out where the hell you were so you could save me."

" I guess I owe you one?" commented Will as Marcel injected a dose of pain meds into one of his IVs.  
" You owe me nothing. You're alive man. You nearly coded and bled out on my table."

" Guess I got lucky then."

" Luck doesn't even begin to cover it. The good news is your vitals have improved from last night."

" Last night. I remember Jay being here. And…"

" Natalie was here too." Natalie. She had been the one crying. She was the one who had kissed him.  
" This is some great shit. Thanks Crockpot," mumbled Will, his eyes feeling heavy again.

" I'm going to chalk that one up to the pain meds. Get some rest. I'll be back later to check on you."


	5. What Hurts The Most

_Author's note: First up just a reminder that I did change my pen name. So if you've favorite this story, you might not get alerts now. I think you have to re-select it due to the change. A friend and I have some ridiculous dreams for the future and my old pen name was from highschool.  
Now on to the business! I've had the chance to start hand writing the chapters during my lunches and other various times during my jobs. I have the next two chapters fully written and will be posting them soon. I've started work on the final chapter and it will NOT disappoint! It includes quite possibly one of the best jokes said friend and I have made at Crockett's expense. Thank you for all of the reviews! The next chapter will be up in the next few days! As always, click on that little button at the bottom, leave me some love, and enjoy!_

* * *

_But I know if I could do it over_  
_I would trade, give away all the words that I saved in my heart_  
_That I left unspoken_

_What hurts the most_  
_Is being so close_  
_And having so much to say (much to say)_  
_And watching you walk away_  
_And never knowing_  
_What could have been..._

_~Rascal Flatts~ What Hurts The Most~_

* * *

Freshly showered and in a new set of scrubs, Crockett exited back into the ED and immediately came face to face with Natalie.  
" Is he awake?" she asked anxiously.

" He is. Well he was. Will woke up in a fair amount of pain so I administered pain meds and it didn't him long to fall back asleep. Not before calling me Crockpot though…" Natalie did her best to stifle her laughter.  
" I think I'm going to go upstairs real quick and just sit with him for awhile then. Let Maggie know where I went." Crockett watched her walk away, wondering what the future held for her and Will. He didn't have much time to ponder though as his cellphone began ringing. Crockett pulled it out of his back pocket, the screen showing an incoming call from Jay.

" How's he doing?" Jay asked, sounding much more awake than he had the previous night.

" Well he rudely woke me up about 30 minutes ago by kicking my feet off the bed. His vitals have improved. I have him scheduled to receive another transfusion to replace the lost blood and also plan on getting a chest X-Ray to see how his lungs look before I make any other decisions."

" But he's okay?"

" A smartass, but yes. We're headed in the right direction. I'll know more once I get all of the results back."

" Good. I've got a few things to do work wise and then I'll head that way."

" Sounds good," replied Crockett, pocketing his phone before heading back to the lounge for a fresh cup of coffee.

* * *

Natalie's heart grew heavy as she stepped into Will's room in the ICU and took a seat beside his bed. She felt so guilty. Like she was the one responsible for what had happened to him. How could she have been so blind? From the beginning Will had warned Natalie about Phillip. In fact, it seemed as if everyone had warned her about him. The truth was that she had been in love with Will since the very first day she had met him. They had been through so much. When Will had needed her most, she had treated him like shit. At the same time, Natalie knew that he had been just as equally guilty by lying to her. God. Everything was so messed up now. Why had she told him to get out of her life? Natalie's pager buzzed, signaling that she was needed back in the ED. She leaned in and whispered into his ear.  
" I didn't mean what I said." Natalie gave him another quick kiss on the cheek then headed downstairs.

* * *

It hadn't taken much convincing on Jay's part for Voight to allow him the time to visit Will. When Jay arrived, his brother was sound asleep. It was around noon when Will began to stir.

" Shouldn't you be at work?" he aske sleepily.

" They can survive without me for a few hours," Jay replied.

How are you feeling?"

" Like crap, but that's to be expected," stated Will.

" Has Marcel been back?"

" I've been out all morning I think," he said. Jay looked out the door and happened to see the surgeon coming down the hall.  
" Looks like he's coming this way right now actually."

" Hey. Lean in. I need to tell you something." Jay cracked a smile as Will whispered into his ear.  
" Good. You're awake," said Crockett as he entered Will's room.  
" Marcel. How's your grandma?"

" Excuse me?"

" Your grandma. Betty Crocker. How is she doing?" Jay asked, completely straight faced.  
" Funny. Real funny," he replied as the two brother looked at each other and instantly burst into laughter. Crockett ignored the two, instead focusing on the tablet in his hands.

" So the good news is that your blood counts are up. I want to do one more transfusion which should bring your counts up to or near therapeutic levels. If that winds up being the case I'll probably pull your central line tonight."

" Chest tube?" asked Will.  
" Unfortunately that's going to have to stay in a bit longer. Your output is significantly lower, but there still is a somewhat steady amount coming out. If everything else continues to go well, I want to transition you to oral pain meds today as well."

" That sounds like a lot," Jay said.

" If I didn't think his body could handle it, I wouldn't be doing so."

" He's right admitted Will.  
" At least one of you is smart," Crockett muttered.  
" Hey now. I heard that," remarked Jay.

" Good. I meant for you to. I'll check back in after your transfusion to check the lab work."

" Sounds like a plan," Will declared, watching as Crockett left, leaving his tablet at the nurse's station.

* * *

Jay's phone buzzed, indicating he had a new text message.

" Phillip Davis has been arraigned and is being held without bail," the detective proclaimed.

" Without bail? It's not like he killed me."

" You forget who I work for. String were undoubtedly pulled. Sophie is currently in the custody of his sister. From what I understand they have already started the petition to adopt her."

" That's good," Will replied, yawning.  
" You need to rest. I'll stop by after I get off work tonight." Though Jay wasn't really one to be affectionate, he leaned and carefully hugged his brother.  
" I didn't die. Don't get all soft on me."

* * *

" Hey Maggie. I'm going to go upstairs to see Will. My patient in Exam 6 is waiting to be discharged," explained Natalie.  
" Tell Big Red I said hi," said the nurse, watching as Natalie walked away.

* * *

It was just a few short minutes later before Natalie was stepping off the elevator. She was pleasantly surprised to find Will awake as she entered his ICU room.

" Hey. You're awake," she said with a smile.

" I am."

" How are you feeling?" she asked awkwardly, sitting down beside his bed.

" I've been better." Silence. Natalie began to open her mouth to say speak, but Will beat her to it.  
" I remember you being here last night."

" You do?"

" I do."

" What do you remember?" inquired Natalie nervously.

" Just that you were crying...and that you kissed me."

" I also told you something before I left." Natalie paused.

" That night. When you confronted Phillip and I. I said things in the heat of the moment. I was so angry with Phillip. With myself. I didn't mean what I said to you."

" Natalie," he started.  
" Wait. Let me finish. I remember that night. The night of the accident. Will, I was coming to tell you I'm still madly in love with you. I was coming to tell you that I wanted to work on our relationship. I want us to be us again. When I found out that you had been attacked, I was scared I'd never be able to tell you how I truly feel. It's also why I punched Phillip."

" You punched Phillip?" asked a surprised Will.

" That's beside the point. Will, I still love you. I needed you to be able to hear that." Will sighed, trying to process everything.

* * *

" Nat, I'd be lying if I said I didn't still love you. I...when you told me you wanted me out of your life, it killed me inside. I was crushed. I love you, but I can't keep doing this."

" Doing what?"

" Running back together after you hurt me. I know I'm equally guilty and I've hurt you too." Natalie nodded, knowing if she said anything that she'd instantly start crying.

I need time. Time to deal with everything. Time to figure things out. Natalie, the last thing I want to do is hurt you any more. I'm afraid if I say yes right now all it's going to do is hurt us both."

" I understand. I wish I could stay longer, but I need to get back to the ED. I told Maggie I wouldn't be gone long," she said, standing up suddenly.

I'll try and come back later if there's time."

* * *

Natalie left his room and made an immediate beeline for the closest on-call room which was thankfully empty. She closed the door and managed to lock it before breaking down in tears. She slid down a wall, hugging her knees to her chest. Natalie felt like it was shattering into a million pieces. What had she done?


	6. Say Something

_Author's Note:  
I wound up combining two short chapters into one. The next chapter is going to be long...and the last one. It's been long awaited by my Manstead stalker. The final chapter is going to be...hot. That's all I can say. She's seen a line and has been impatiently waiting for over a week haha. After this story, I plan on finishing up the other stories I've left open while I did this story. I already have plans for my next story and another potential story beyond that. Thank you all for your reviews! I appreciate it! Now enjoy and leave me some love by clicking that cute little review button at the bottom!_

* * *

_Say something, I'm giving up on you_  
_I'm sorry that I couldn't get to you_  
_Anywhere I would've followed you_  
_Say something, I'm giving up on you_

_And I... will swallow my pride_  
_You're the one that I love_  
_And I'm saying goodbye..._  
_~A Great Big World~ Say Something_

* * *

Four days passed and Will found himself both bored and saddened. Natalie hadn't been back since that afternoon in the ICU. He had been in a regular room for three days now and was convinced his brain would rot away if he watched any more television. Jay had brought a bag of clothes and such the morning he was transfered from the ICU. Will decided that he would go insane if he stayed in the room a minute longer. He carefully got dressed which proved to be a painstakingly slow process due to the IVs he was still hooked up to. His incisions ached though the pain lessened as each day passed. Will slid on a pair of shoes and climbed out of bed, pausing as he stood and steadied himself. After the first few steps, he found his equilibrium, his movements becoming more steady as he approached the elevators. It was a short ride to the ED. Will stepped into the hallway, the chaos that was typical hanging in the air.

" Will. What are you doing down here?" asked April as she approached him, guiding him to a chair at the nurse's station.

" I'm bored as hell so I thought I'd take a walk. Where is everyone?"

" With patients. It's been crazy trying to balance out the coverage while you're recovering."

" Have you seen Nat today?"

" She's in Exam 3 with a patient."

" Has she said anything to you?"

" No. Is there something going on that I should know about?" questioned April.

" Nevermind. So what's been going on?"

" You haven't heard the big news yet?"

" Lanik's gone?"

" I wish. No. Maggie's in remission!"

" That's fantastic!," replied Will.

Wait...who's in the hybrid?"

" Dr. Marcel. Why?"

" Marcel is down here? He's going to be pissed."

" Why's that?"

" I unhooked all of my LEDs, pulse ox, and came downstairs."

" You didn't tell anyone you were leaving, did you?"

" No…"

" Then that explains why he looks like he wants to kill you," quipped April, looking over Will's shoulder. Will spun around in his chair to find the surgeon head straight for him, looking incredibly angry.

* * *

" How hard would it have been for you to tell ANY OF THE NURSES upstairs that you were going for a walk without your telemetry pack? I spent the last five minutes closing my patient 's chest and taking calls from panicked nurses who thought you had flatlined along with my pager going off telling me you had no heart rate or pulse."

" Clearly I do," retorted Will. Crockett opened his mouth to respond, his face turning a deep shade of red as he did so. A very jubilent Maggie entered the ED, interupting what was sure to have been a lecture from Crockett.  
" Will! What are you doing down here?"

" The warden let me out on good behavior," joked Will, shooting a look in Marcel's direction.

" You look radiant. What's up?" asked April.

" Oh nothing," Maggie said casually, holding up her left hand, a large diamond ring on her ring finger.

Ben proposed."

" Are you serious? Oh my gosh girl! Let me see that ring!" gushed April. Out of the corner of his eye Will spied Natalie approaching the group.

" What's up?"

" Ben and I are getting married," declared an estatic Maggie.  
" Congratulations," offered Natalie, leaning in for a hug. As she did, she locked eyes with Will.

" When's the wedding?" she asked, looking away.

" I had to talk Ben out of just eloping and going to the courthouse. We're thinking of throwing together a simple ceremony in a few weeks," she explained.  
" Let us know- we'dlove to help plan things!" April enthusiastically volunteered, Natalie nodding in agreement.

" I've got to get back to my patient, but we'll talk later," said Natalie, walking away. Will stood, giving Maggie a quick hug before heading in the direction Natalie had gone.

" Natalie," he called, spotting her outside an exam room.

" Please. Not now," she said, going into the exam room and closing the door behind her. Will was left standing alone, sadness creeping over him.

" Give her time man." Will turned around to find Crockett standing behind him.

" How do you even know?"

" These walls talk."

" All I told her was that I needed some time," Will lamented, heading back towards the elevators.

" Trust me. I know. It sucks. She'll come around eventually. Now get your ass back upstairs," ordered Crockett.  
" Yes mother," Will replied mockingly as the doors shut.

* * *

" What gives between you and Big Red?" Maggie asked, approaching Natalie at the nurse's station.  
" What do you mean?" she asked, hoping to divert the nurse's attention.

" Girl you could have cut that tension with a knife earlier," stated Maggie.

" We talked about stuff. Us. Our future. I don't know wht I expected. He told me he needs time Mags."

" You two have been through so much though. Maybe time is what you both need." Natalie sighed, still feeling defeated.

" Can we talk about something else? Anything else? How did Ben propose?"

" We can, but you know I'm not going to let this go though...right?"

" I wouldn't expect anything less."

* * *

Shortly after Will was discharged from the hospital, a formal invitation to Maggie and Ben's very informal wedding arrived at Jay's apartment. Will ignored it and headed towards his bedroom. The trip home had left him feeling lightheaded and extremely tired. Will sank into his bed, pausing just long enough to burrow under the covers. His bed proved to be much more comfortable than any bed at Gaffney. Within seconds he was fast asleep.

* * *

Days passed by, each more boring than the last for Will. He wasn't used to being couped up for so long. The short walks around the neighborhood were the highlights of his days. Will had tried contacting Natalie several times, each one to no avail. He had RSVP'ed to the wedding that was taking place at the end of the week. However Will contemplated not attending since he knew Natalie was one of Maggie's bridesmaids. All of this had blown up in his face. Will hadn't counted on Natalie effectively ignoring him for two weeks.

A loud knock on the front door left Will silently cursing whomever it was as he had just gotten comfortable in bed after a nice hot shower. He waited a few minutes, hoping the person would leave, but the knocking persisted. Will groaned and rolled out of bed, muttering a string of profanities under his breath as he did so. The knocking grew louder as he moved towards the door.

" Hold your damn pants on!" Will shouted. He unlocked the door and opened it, surprised to find Crockett standing in the hallway.

* * *

" What do you want?"

" We need to talk. Plus you need your staples out before they fuse into your skin," explained Marcel, walking past Will into the living room. Will shut the door, removing his shirt as he walked into the living room. The dozens of staples in his stomach and chest were beginning to drive him nuts. He flopped down on the couch, waiting for Crockett to tug on a pair of gloves and open the staple remover.

" So what exactly do we need to talk about?" questioned Will, wincing as the first staple was moved.

" Staples first. If I tell you now, you'll be pissed and won't stay still." Will sighed, wondering what exactly Crockett needed to tell him.

* * *

A short five minutes later Crockett had removed the last staple, allowing for Will to sit back up.  
" So what's going on?" he asked, watching as Marcel disposed of his gloves and the staples.

" When was the last time you talked with Natalie?"

" Not since before I was released. Is something wrong?"

" Word is she plans on moving back to Seattle with Owen sometime after the wedding." Will felt his stomach lurch.  
" That's ridiculous. Where did you hear that?"

" I overheard her talking to Maggie. Seems like you've taken too much time."

" She won't return my calls or texts."

" I don't know man. Are you going to the wedding? That might be your best shot."  
" I wasn't planning on it, but I sure am now," declared Will.


	7. Oh My My

_Author's note: Wow. This is it. The end of the story. What a fitting way to end it than with an extremely long chapter. I'm not going to spoil anything. I just want to thank all of you for reading and enjoying it! I didn't know whether or not I'd have time to finish typing the chapter this weekend, but I owe my stalker. Thanks for saving me Thursday night! She's been waiting very patiently for this chapter...and without further ado, the final chapter. There is a smidge of naughtyness in the middle. I tried keeping it PG-13. Can't say much more without giving it away. Leave me some love and click on that cute little button at the bottom!_

* * *

Just a few short days later, Will found himself sitting on his bed, deep in thought. How had it gotten to this point so quickly? Just a few weeks ago Natalie had professed her love for him. Now she was apparently set to move cross country, leaving Will forever. That was hardly what Will had meant when he said he needed time. Now because of those words, he was forced to race against time in hopes of convincing Natalie to stay, With a long sigh, Will pulled on a pair of dress shoes to match his khakis and hunter green dress shirt. That shirt had always been a favorite of Natalie's. He dabbed on cologne, ironically a gift from Natalie.

" Are you ready bro?" Jay shouted from the livingroom. Will stood, his heart already racing in his chest. He solemnly walked out to the living room, racking his brain of what to say to Natalie to convince her to stay. Will quietly followed Jay outside to his truck and climbed into the passanger's seat.

" What gives?" Jay asked as they had traveled in silence for a handful of minutes.

" Natalie is making plans to move back to Seattle," confided Will, feeling defeated.

" Seriously? Who told you that?"

" Marcel. He said he heard Natalie and Maggie talking about it the other day."

" So what are you going to do about it?" challenged Jay.  
" I have no clue."

* * *

Maggie and Ben had chosen to be married at a park with a beautiful scenic view of the Chicago river in the background. While they would exchange their vows outside, two tents stood in the distance. Most of the guests had taken seats outside, waiting for the ceremony to take place. A few lingeres around a larger tent which clearly was where the bar was located. Will watched as Crockett approached him, a drink in hand.

" Care for a shot of liquid courage?" he asked.

" I can't. If I have any chanfe of changing Natalie's mind I need to be level headed," reasoned Will.

" So what did you get the happy couple for a wedding present?" Crockett asked, changing the subject.

" Cash."

" Really? That's like the least original gift imaginable," he quipped.

" Then what did you give them that's so much better? Your musket from the damn Alamo?"

" You know at some point you're going to run out of material," Crockett declared, downing his drink.

" I'm not the one whose parents decided to name their son Crockett," remarked Will.  
" I was named after my great grandfather."

" Davey Crockett, right?" said Will, not missing a beat before taking a seat near the front of the aisle next to Jay.

" Your brother is an ass," Crockett informed Jay, taking a seat behind the brothers.

" What did you do now?" Will once again leaned into his brother's side and whispered into his ear. Had music not begun to play, the two would have inevitably started laughing again. Ben and two gentleman Will assumed were his brothers stood to one side. April was the first to come down the aisle, followed by Natalie. Will couldn't help but stare as she approached where April stood. Natalie looked simply stunning in her peach floor length, strapless dress. Her long hair fell in curly waves down her back with rhinestone clips keeping it from getting in her eyes. She spotted Will and smiled, sending her own heart racing. That smile was the only sign of acknowledgement she had shown him in weeks.

* * *

A hush fell over the crowd as everyone stood and faced the back of the aisle. Pacabel's Cannon began playing as Maggie appeared, draped on the arm of Dr. Charles. Will was happy to see his friend looking so healthy and radiant in her wedding dress. When the two reached the head of the aisle the priest stepped forward.

" Who gives this woman to this man?" Will stood, followed by Crockett, Sharon, Ethan, Noah, and the rest of their coworkers.

" We do," they all announced in unison. Maggie smiled with pride, giving Daniel a friendly kiss on the cheek before taking Ben's outstretched hands. Will attempted to focus on the ceremony and the words being said, but he couldn't help staring at Natalie. It felt like he was seeing her, fallnig in love with her all over again, right down to the feeling of butterflies in his stomach. He couldn't lose her. Not again. Will was head over heels in loves with Natalie Manning and he knew he was going to fight with every fiber in his being to stop her from moving to Washington.

* * *

" Will...Will…" Will turned around to find Jay standing beside him.

" Huh? What's going on?" he asked.

" The ceremony is over."

" Where's Natalie?" questioned Will, snapping out of his day dream.

" She headed for the tent," replied Jay.

" I have to go stop her," he muttered, taking off towards the tents.

" What is he talking about? Is he okay?" Jay asked Crockett who was still standing in the row behind him.

" It's fine. Will is going to get his girl."

* * *

Will entered the large tent, feeling frustrated as he searched the crowd for Natalie. He was doing his best to navigate the sea of people when he was stopped by Sharon Goodwin.

" It's great to see you uop and on the mend. How are you feeling?

" I'm feeling better every day. Have you seen Natalie?" he asked as Sharon sipped a drink she was holding.

" I think everyone is over there taking pictures," she explained, pointing.

" Thanks," replied Will, hastily making his way towards an archway near the dance floor. It was Maggie who noticed him first.

" Big Red! I didn't know if you'd make it!" she declared happily, enveloping him in a tight hug.

" It was a last minute decision," commented Will, looking over her shoulder and locking eyes with Natalie.

" You're not over doing it, are you?"

" I wouldn't have missed this for the world. You look absolutely stunning Mags."

" Thank you. Can I get a picture of us together?"

" Of course," said Will, posing beside the bride. The photographer snapped a few pictures.

" Nat! Get over here and take a few pictures with us!" Maggie shouted.

" What are you doing?" Will whispered.

" Marcel told me you know what's going on. Trust me," the nurse quietly stated as Natalie walked over.

" Stand on the other side of me Nat," instructed Maggie. Everyone smiled, their arms slung over the bride's shoulders. After the pictures were taken Natalie turned to leave, but was stopped by the photographer.

* * *

" You and your friend make such a cute couple. Let's get a few shots of you two together."

" We're not a couple," Will and Natalie said in unison.

" That's not what the bride told me," insisted the photographer. Natalie looked around for Maggie, but was unable to find her.

" Stand next to her. Now put your arm around her waist." Will did as he was directed to. After a few pictures were taken, the photographer had them face each other.

" Now hold hands." Natalie reached for Will's hands slowly. An audible gasp could be heard as she clasped her hands, her heart once again pounding wildly. The photograpgher managed to capture the exact moment they locked eyes. Before Will knew what he was doing, he leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on Natalie's lips. He expected her to pull away. Instead she deepened it, all while the photographer kept snapping pictures.

" Damn it Maggie," Natalie whispered, finally breaking their kiss.

" Can we talk?" asled Will.

" Yes," replied Natalie. Will reached for her hand, leading her out of the tent.

" My car?" she suggested hesitatingly. Will nodded his head in agreement, realizing that there weren't many other places they could talk privately. As he climbed into the backseat of her SUV he couldn't help but remember all of the makeout sessions and quickies that had taken place there in the hospital's parking garage. Natalie closed the door behind her, the pair only separated by mere inches.

* * *

" Will I…"

" Natalie don't…" the two said simultaneously.

" You go first," declared Natalie.

" Natalie. Don't go."

" Go where?" she asked, feeling slightly confused.

" Don't move back to Seattle."

" Who told you?"

" Marcel. He overhead you and Maggie talking."

" Nothing is set in stone as of yet."

" But is it a possibility?"

" What do I honestly have keeping me here Will? You said you needed time. How long am I supposed to wait?" Will sighed.

" I've had a lot of time to think over the past few weeks. Nat, I know neither of us are perfect. We each have baggage weighing us down. The truth is I've never stopped loving you. Or Owen. Thinking of you two got me through my darkest days when I was in Arizona. I can't believe I allowed myself to just throw all of what we had away."

" Will you can't beat yourself up over that. I can't even begin to imagine what you went through. How that whole experience changed you. How it wound up sending you into a PTSD fueled spiral."

" But I let it happen. I surpressed everything, hoping it would just go away. I need you to be there for me damnit."

" I realize that now. I've had my fair share of time to think as well. I've known since that night. Since the crash. You are my future."

" Why would you throw that all away and then move across the country?" interjected Will.

" You hurt me Will. And before you say it, I know I hurt you too. This is all so...confusing," Natalie confessed with a sigh.

" You can say that again," replied Will with a smile.

" I've missed that smile," said Natalie, her face glowing as she herself smiled.

" Same here," Will stated, scooting closer to Natalie so their hands were now touching. Will could feel the electricity between them consume his whole body. He leaned in, giving Natalie a much more passionate kiss than he had given her moments ago. At this point, they were now beside each other, Will's hands cradling Natalie's face.

* * *

" I love you Natalie," he whispered, caressing her cheek with his thumb.

" I love you too Will," she whispered back, running her hand through Will's hair. Before they knew it, that kiss had turned into an intense makeout session. Despite being crammed into the backseat, Natalie was able to maneuver herself so Will was now on top of her. Her hands reached for his shirt, fumbling as she undid each button. She pulled the shirt completely off, exposing the fresh scars that ran across his stomach and side. Natalie gingerly traced the scars, the flesh still slightly swollen and pink. Will was frozen, her touch leaving him breathless. He reached behind himself, somehow managing to slide off Natalie's shoes. Natalie pulled him closer to him for another kiss, this time slipping her tongue into his mouth.

With a sense of urgency, Will pulled off her underwear, hiking up her dress as she slid down his pants and boxers. He could feel both of their hearts pounding in sync as he carefully positioned himself on top of her, a sense of urgency filling the air. Bliss took over Natalie. She had not felt this...she didn't realize just how much she had been craving such intamacy from Will until now. Somehow in the midst of their sexual romp, she managed to maneuver herself on top of Will, her dress covering them. The two moved in perfect sync, Natalie collapsing onto Will's chest as they finished.

" That was amazing," declared Will as Natalie laid her head on his chest.

" I love the sound of your heartbeat," she mused. Will gently kissed her forehead.

" Can we just lay here? Just like this? Forever?" he asked. Natalie opened her mouth to respond, but was interrupted by a loud tapping on the window.

* * *

" Who is it?" asked Will, feeling bewildered as Natalie threw a blanket over his head.

" It's Marcel," she hissed quietly before rolling down the window.

" Can I help you?"

" Maggie is looking for you. I suggest you finish what you started before finding her," instructed Crockett, his back turned to the SUV. Natalie rolled the window back up and grabbed a stray pack of baby wipes.

" He knows I'm not alone," she stated as she hastily cleaned herself up before offering the wipes to Will. Natalie slid her panties back on then her shoes.

" I'll see you soon," stated Natalie, her words sounding more like a question than anything. She hastily kissed him before climbing out of her SUV. Will laid in the backseat letting everything that had just happened sink in. Despite feeling elated as if he were on cloud nine, an uneasy feeling still shrouded him. Where exactly did his relationship with Natalie stand now? Will discarded the blanket she had tossed over him and sat up. After pulling his clothes back on and attempting to tame his touseled post sex hair, Will slid out of the SUV to find a smug Marcel still leaning against it.

" That must have been one hell of a talk," he mentioned, following Will back to the large tent.

" Shut up," declared Will, flipping Crockett off as he left him behind.

* * *

" Where were you? Maggie has been looking all over for you!" April said to Natalie as she approached the tent.

" I was busy," muttered Natalie.

" I'd say so. You might want to reapply your lipstick. It's smudged," she said, handing Natalie her lipstick.

" Thanks," replied Natalie.

" So did you and Will work things out?"

" I have no clue what you're talking about."

* * *

The first person Will came across when entering the tent was Maggie.

" Will. Where have you been? Jay was looking for you."

" I was busy."

" I can tell," stated the bride in an accusatory tone.

" What are you talking about?"

" That shade of lipstick looks great on you," commented Maggie, wiping at several smudges of lipstick along Will's neck and jawline. His cheeks turned bright red, clashing violently with his hair.

" So I take it you and Natalie worked things out?"

" You could say that I guess. Have you seen her?"

" She's right over there," Maggie pointed. Will headed over to the other side of the dance floor where Natalie stood alone.

* * *

" Hey," he said, sidling up beside her.

" Hey yourself," she responded, her tone warm and inviting. They stood beside each other, staring at the dance floor as Maggie and Ben shared their first dance.

" That could have been us," Natalie said longingly.

" It still could be. One day that is," Will added.

" We're so...broken though."

" Then let's rewrite our history. Let's become whole again," suggested Will.

I know it won't be easy, but you're worth fighting for Natalie Manning." Natalie turned and smiled at Will.

" When did you become so...insightful?"

" When I realized just how much I love you." Natalie blushed slightly before extending her hand.

" Of course," replied Will, leading Natalie to the dance floor. As a slow song began playing, she placed her head on his shoulder.

" I think you're worth fighting for too Will Halstead. I've never stopped loving you." Will smiled. He had waited so long to hear those words. He pulled her closer, their bodies swaying in time to the music.

" I wish we could just stay like this forever," she whispered.

" We can. Marry me Natalie Elizabeth Manning."

* * *

" Are you crazy?" Natalie asked.

" More like being on the brink of insanity is more like it. I don't know what I was thinking. I'm sorry," he replied, shaking his head as they stopped dancing.

" Ask me again."

" What?"

" I said ask me again," she stated, holding Will at arms length so she had a clear view of his face.

" Will you marry me Natalie Elizabeth Manning?" he asked.

" Yes," replied Natalie, falling into his loving embrace.

I think we're both far past the brink of insanity, but the good news is we aren't alone." Tears brimmed in both of their sets of eyes as the music began playing once more.

" I love you. I love you Natalie. And Owen. I love Owen. Nothing is ever going to change that. Nothing."

* * *

_Every day I just won't go away_  
_I'm not scared of anything_  
_But saying this to you_

_It's going down, neither of us wanna be alone right now_

_What, whatcha gonna do_

_Oh my my_  
_Yeah I'm loving all your warning signs_  
_Cause I'm a sucker for you oh my my_  
_Girl you get me high_  
_Yeah you're my type, you're danger, danger_

_Oh my my_  
_Yeah I'm a sucker for the lonely kind_  
_Because I'm loving all your oh my my_  
_Girl you get me high_  
_Yeah you're my type, you're danger, danger_

_I can_  
_I'll go anywhere you want me_  
_You want me to_  
_Caught my eye_  
_Watch us free fall_  
_Catch me, I'll catch you too...  
~Blue October~ Oh My My_


End file.
